Burlarse Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb burlarse means to mock, to make fun of, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Burlarse means to mock or to make fun of someone, to laugh at a person in an unkind way. It is reflexive and takes de for the person mocked, and it is fully regular. Like every Spanish verb, burlarse changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say me burlo de su compañero en clase, and in the preterite you say me burlé de los turistas en la calle. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.

Quick facts

  • Infinitive: burlarse
  • English: to mock, to make fun of
  • Verb type: regular -ar verb, reflexive
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: burlando
  • Past participle: burlado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + burlado)
  • Reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nos, os, se — one before every conjugated form, matching the person.

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for burlarse, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Burlarse is reflexive and takes de: me burlo de alguien. It is unkind mocking; reírse is simply laughing.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for burlarse. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.

Present indicative

Person Pronoun Form
yo me burlo
tú te burlas
él/ella/Ud. se burla
nosotros/as nos burlamos
vosotros/as os burláis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se burlan

Preterite

Person Pronoun Form
yo me burlé
tú te burlaste
él/ella/Ud. se burló
nosotros/as nos burlamos
vosotros/as os burlasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se burlaron

Imperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me burlaba
tú te burlabas
él/ella/Ud. se burlaba
nosotros/as nos burlábamos
vosotros/as os burlabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se burlaban

Future

Person Pronoun Form
yo me burlaré
tú te burlarás
él/ella/Ud. se burlará
nosotros/as nos burlaremos
vosotros/as os burlaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se burlarán

Conditional

Person Pronoun Form
yo me burlaría
tú te burlarías
él/ella/Ud. se burlaría
nosotros/as nos burlaríamos
vosotros/as os burlaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se burlarían

Present perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me he burlado
tú te has burlado
él/ella/Ud. se ha burlado
nosotros/as nos hemos burlado
vosotros/as os habéis burlado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se han burlado

Pluperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me había burlado
tú te habías burlado
él/ella/Ud. se había burlado
nosotros/as nos habíamos burlado
vosotros/as os habíais burlado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habían burlado

Future perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habré burlado
tú te habrás burlado
él/ella/Ud. se habrá burlado
nosotros/as nos habremos burlado
vosotros/as os habréis burlado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrán burlado

Conditional perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habría burlado
tú te habrías burlado
él/ella/Ud. se habría burlado
nosotros/as nos habríamos burlado
vosotros/as os habríais burlado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrían burlado

Present subjunctive

Person Pronoun Form
yo me burle
tú te burles
él/ella/Ud. se burle
nosotros/as nos burlemos
vosotros/as os burléis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se burlen

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Pronoun Form
yo me burlara
tú te burlaras
él/ella/Ud. se burlara
nosotros/as nos burláramos
vosotros/as os burlarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se burlaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te burla
él/ella/Ud. se burle
nosotros/as nos burlemos
vosotros/as os burlad
ellos/ellas/Uds. se burlen

Imperative (negative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te burles
él/ella/Ud. se burle
nosotros/as nos burlemos
vosotros/as os burléis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se burlen

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund burlando with estar for the progressive: estoy burlando (or me estoy burlando for this reflexive verb)
Past participle burlado with haber for the perfect tenses: he burlado

How to use each tense

Present indicative

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For burlarse, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Me burlo de su compañero en clase. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Preterite

Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For burlarse, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, me burlé de su jefe a sus espaldas. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperfect

Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For burlarse, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, me burlaba de los turistas en la calle. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Future

Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For burlarse, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, me burlaré de su hermano menor. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Conditional

Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For burlarse, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Me burlaría de su compañero en clase si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Present perfect

Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For burlarse, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, me he burlado de su jefe a sus espaldas. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Pluperfect

Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For burlarse, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me había burlado de los turistas en la calle antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Future perfect

Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For burlarse, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, me habré burlado de su hermano menor. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Conditional perfect

Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For burlarse, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me habría burlado de su compañero en clase con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Present subjunctive

Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For burlarse, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él se burle de su jefe a sus espaldas. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For burlarse, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él se burlara de los turistas en la calle, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperative (affirmative)

Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For burlarse, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: Que se burle de su hermano menor. Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperative (negative)

Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For burlarse, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No te burles de su compañero en clase. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Example sentences

Ten natural sentences with burlarse, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Me burlo de su compañero en clase. — I mock his classmate in class.
  2. Se burla de su jefe a sus espaldas. — He/she mocks his boss behind his back.
  3. Ayer, me burlé de los turistas en la calle. — Yesterday, I mocked the tourists in the street.
  4. Antes, nosotros nos burlábamos de su hermano menor. — Before, we used to mock his younger brother.
  5. Mañana, tú te burlarás de su compañero en clase. — Tomorrow, you will mock his classmate in class.
  6. Yo me burlaría de su jefe a sus espaldas si tuviera más tiempo. — I would mock his boss behind his back if I had more time.
  7. Él se ha burlado de los turistas en la calle. — He has mocked the tourists in the street.
  8. Espero que él se burle de su hermano menor. — I hope he mocks his younger brother.
  9. Yo ya me había burlado de su compañero en clase antes de salir. — I had already mocked his classmate in class before leaving.
  10. Ellos se burlaban de su jefe a sus espaldas cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to mock his boss behind his back when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo burlo de su compañero en clase. — Right: Yo me burlo de su compañero en clase. — Burlarse is reflexive, so the pronoun me is required: without it the verb means something else, or nothing at all.
  2. Wrong: Ayer yo burlo de su jefe a sus espaldas. — Right: Ayer yo burlé de su jefe a sus espaldas. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: burlo is happening now, while burlé is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
  3. Wrong: Treating burlarse and reírse as identical in every context. — Right: Burlarse means to mock, to make fun of, while reírse means to laugh, in general. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: burlarse fits sentences such as Me burlo de su compañero en clase, while reírse belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy burlado de su jefe a sus espaldas. — Right: Yo he burlado de su jefe a sus espaldas. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he burlado, has burlado, ha burlado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo burlé de los turistas en la calle todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo burlaba de los turistas en la calle todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (burlaba), not the preterite. The preterite (burlé) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on burlarse. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ de su compañero en clase. (present tense) A. me burlo B. te burlas C. se burla D. nos burlamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ de su jefe a sus espaldas. (preterite) A. me burlé B. te burlaste C. se burlaron D. se burló

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ de los turistas en la calle. (imperfect) A. te burlabas B. se burlaban C. nos burlábamos D. me burlaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ de su hermano menor. (future) A. nos burlaremos B. te burlarás C. me burlaré D. se burlará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ de su compañero en clase si pudiera. (conditional) A. me burlaría B. te burlarías C. se burlaría D. se burlarían

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ de su jefe a sus espaldas. (present subjunctive) A. me burle B. te burles C. nos burlemos D. se burle

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ de los turistas en la calle, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. se burlara B. nos burláramos C. me burlara D. te burlaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ de su hermano menor. (present perfect) A. se han burlado B. nos hemos burlado C. me he burlado D. te has burlado

  9. Complete the command: No ___ de su compañero en clase. (negative imperative, tú) A. te burles B. se burle C. nos burlemos D. os burléis

  10. Which is the gerund of burlarse, used with estar for the progressive? A. burlado B. burlo C. burlé D. burlando

Answer key

  1. me burlo — The first-person present of burlarse is me burlo. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. se burló — The third-person preterite of burlarse is se burló, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. nos burlábamos — The nosotros imperfect of burlarse is nos burlábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. te burlarás — The second-person future of burlarse is te burlarás.
  5. me burlaría — The first-person conditional of burlarse is me burlaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. se burle — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of burlarse is se burle.
  7. me burlara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of burlarse is me burlara.
  8. nos hemos burlado — The nosotros present perfect of burlarse is nos hemos burlado: hemos + burlado.
  9. te burles — The negative tú imperative uses the present subjunctive form with no before it: te burles.
  10. burlando — The gerund of burlarse is burlando: estoy burlando. The participle burlado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does burlarse mean in English?

Burlarse means to mock, to make fun of. It is used in everyday situations such as Me burlo de su compañero en clase. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is burlarse a reflexive verb?

Yes. Burlarse is reflexive, so it always takes a reflexive pronoun that matches the person: me, te, se, nos, os or se. For example, Me burlo de su compañero en clase and él se burla de su jefe a sus espaldas. If you leave the pronoun out, the verb changes meaning or stops making sense.

What is the difference between burlarse and reírse?

Burlarse means to mock, to make fun of, while reírse means to laugh, in general. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use burlarse when you mean to mock, to make fun of, as in Me burlo de su compañero en clase, and use reírse for to laugh, in general. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I mock” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo me burlé de su jefe a sus espaldas. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo me burlaba de los turistas en la calle. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo me he burlado de su jefe a sus espaldas.

How do I practise burlarse?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the burlarse examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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